initial commit

docs/glossary_for_medicines_analysts.md

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# Glossary For Medicines Analysts
+
+This is a practical glossary for analysts working with medicines data. It is not clinical guidance.
+
+## Medicine Coding
+
+`dm+d`: Dictionary of medicines and devices. The source of SNOMED product codes used for medicines.
+
+`SNOMEDCode`: A coded identifier. In medicines queries this is usually a dm+d product code. In clinical coding queries it is usually a clinical event code.
+
+`VTM`: Virtual Therapeutic Moiety. Broad ingredient-level grouping, useful when you want all products for a medicine substance.
+
+`VMP`: Virtual Medicinal Product. More specific product family, useful when strength or formulation matters.
+
+`AMP`: Actual Medicinal Product. Branded or supplier-specific product.
+
+`VMPP` / `AMPP`: Pack-level products.
+
+`BNFCode`: British National Formulary hierarchy code. Useful for broad prescribing sections such as antibiotics or antidepressants.
+
+## Activity Sources
+
+`Prescribing`: Records from GP clinical systems showing prescriptions/issues. More current, but not the same as dispensed supply.
+
+`Dispensing`: BSA/GPMeds data showing items dispensed and paid. Better for payment-style reporting, usually with a lag.
+
+`ProcessingPeriodDate`: The month attached to dispensing data.
+
+`DateMedicationStart`: The prescribing date used in the unified prescribing table.
+
+## People And Organisations
+
+`PersonKey`: Internal person identifier used for linked analysis. Prefer this for patient counts where available.
+
+`PatientPseudonym`: Pseudonymised patient identifier. Needed for some joins to clinical coding and dispensing.
+
+`CurrentGeneralPractice`: Practice code attached to the patient or prescribing row.
+
+`OrganisationCode` / `SiteCode`: Organisation and site identifiers. For practice-level reporting, use the parent practice row where `SiteCode = OrganisationCode` unless branch-level reporting is intended.
+
+`PCN`, `Place`, `Alliance`, `INT`: Organisation hierarchy fields used for grouping practice outputs.
+
+## Analysis Terms
+
+`Cohort`: A defined set of patients meeting criteria.
+
+`Denominator`: The population used to calculate a rate, for example registered patients at a practice.
+
+`Numerator`: The count meeting the measure, for example patients prescribed a medicine.
+
+`Quintile`: One of five ranked groups. Quintile 5 is often used for highest prescribing when ranking from low to high.
+
+`Long format`: Output where each indicator is a row rather than a separate column. This is useful for appending measures and charting.
+